


Secondary introductions

by Jpnpr



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Talia is evil, although it developed very differently, but it was supposed to be talia having chosen between tim and damian and bruce reversing that choice, but the prompt kinda drowned bc my brain kept adding stuff, i guess she has her reasons for some stuff, just so you know, ra's and damian are mentioned, there's some hurt without comfort in chapter 2, this is inspired by whumptober
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:00:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26939287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jpnpr/pseuds/Jpnpr
Summary: Talia doesn't deal with opponents she doesn't know. She's too careful for that. She knows Timothy Drake is a smart young man and still has no chance against her father. She knows Bruce Wayne is smart enough to know and accept that. (Spoilers: She might have made a mistake)
Relationships: Talia al Ghul & Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Talia al Ghul
Comments: 4
Kudos: 95





	1. Chapter 1

Many things suited the man in front of her. It was one of her favourite qualities in him. The way he did everything perfectly. His devotion, determination, and skill to complete any task flawlessly. He was perfect in whatever he decided to do. 

Even so, it were moments like these in which his desirability culminated: when all his focus gathered on a single goal, and he strode toward it with unstoppable force. When his eyes turned into weapons and his movements made his opponents fear their life, although he had never bathed his hands in their dirty blood.

It was unfortunate that those eyes were boring through her own eyes.

  
But she was no ordinary woman. Despite her strong affection towards him, Talia was strong. She had done the right thing. 

“You lured him into the trap, didn’t you? Where is my son, Talia?”

“Your son,” Talia stepped forward into the light of a dim lantern, “is at your home, waiting for you to return to him.”

Bruce did not twitch. “Where is Tim? Did you give him to Ra’s?”

He ignored her comment on Damian. Their son. His blood son. His mind was solely on the brat, that foolish boy. A result of his only flaw, his mercy for the undeserving, his generous manner that harmed him and those that were truly his, that gathered parasytes around him. Soon, the binds to the kid would be severed, her Beloved and Damian freed of his influence.

He tried to grab her arm. She didn’t prevent it.

  
“Where is Tim, Talia?”

She inspected his hand on her skin. It was meant to be a threat, as if she didn’t know ten ways to break his thumb alone.

  
“My father was getting impatient. He needs an heir and wants him prepared. He knows as well as both of us that the kid will need time to…”, she made a contemplative noise before locking their eyes together firmly, “be persuaded to the ways of my father.”

His grip tightened on her arm.

“To be fair, it is your harsh principles that be need to be worked out of him.”

“What is he going to do? What will he do to Tim?” There was a fire in his eyes, stronger than all the fires Talia had set on this world. It was mesmerizing. Talia wouldn’t be able to take her eyes off, even if she wanted to.

She dipped her voice in honey as she continued. “Don’t worry, Beloved. He means too much to the Head of the Demon to see bodily harm. But we both know that my father has other ways to convince a man.”

She watched as her words winded around his mind like a tight hold of a snake. His eyes narrowed as he spoke. “Tim is strong. Stronger than you or Ra’s give him credit for.”

She smiled.

As if that would matter. As if her father would choose a weakling for a successor. As if there was a single example of him not getting something once he had set his target. As if Timothy had a choice.

  
“Tell me where he is, Talia.”

She pulled her arm out of his grasp. “I will not.”

“Why? Why are you helping him?”

“You don’t know my father as well as I do, Beloved. I told you he was growing out of patience. There are only two options he considers for his future. The boy, or…”

Realization flickered through his eyes, but the acceptance did not come. “Damian.” The fire had only grown, Talia realized, not changed its course, her own anger roaring like a lion inside her. “It was either Damian or the boy, Beloved. I could not let him put his eyes on our son for this! I did the right thing. I will not sacrifice my son’s body to my father.”

“But you’re sacrificing _my_ son?” Beloved growled back with an uncompromising expression. He didn’t understand.

“He is not your son!” She whipped back.

  
“Yes, he is!”

She couldn’t find anything but the protective posture of a bear in front of her. _Do not touch what is mine._

“My father keeps him at his side. He does not plan to leave the boy out of his sight until there is no doubt of his loyalty. He has waited long enough to get him under his control. He is my father’s most valuable possession. He will protect it, keep it hidden. There is no possibility for you to reach him.”

“Will you help me, Talia, or not?”

“Do you not understand? My father is the most powerful human on Earth. Trying to protect something that is yours might seem possible, but once he has hands on it, even you must be seeing it, it is not possible to steal it back!”

But her Beloved only looked down on her. “I will not leave Tim in his hands. I will get him back.” He turned on his heels and stepped towards the shadows of the alleyway. 

  
“It’s too late.” She called after him. 

He ignored it. Another step.

“You’re a fool!” She made a step to follow. “A thankless, heedless imbecile. I gave you Damian. He was raised to be no less than perfect, a suitable heir to you. You have no use for the boy.”

Her Beloved stopped in his tracks, but she knew he hadn’t seen sense yet. 

“You should have gotten rid of him when you learned of your true son. Instead you gave in to useless sentimentality and kept him at your doorstep, intruding in your own home. I have done you a favour. You should take care of our son instead of crying after a toy that has no use for you. You are being childish!”

He turned with a swift movement, grabbing her arm and swinging her against the wall. She raised her other hand in defence, but she was already pinned against rough stonework, her arm secured between her back and his armor.   
  


“I will not explain my relationship to my children to you, Talia. I don’t expect you to understand. But be careful of what you say about them in my presence. I can’t promise I won’t hurt you for your words. Especially if my son has been missing for a week. Do you understand that?”

“You are a fool, Bruce.”

He pressed her body against the wall, his burning breath almost painful on her skin, his claws enough of a threat on her arms. 

He was truly one of the strongest men she knew. He was going to die for nothing.

The second he weakened his hold she twirled out of his grip. No punches, no pain. Just enough to remind him that she was not one of his dirty, worthless opponents.

Her hand was at his collar, and she pulled him closer, until there were merely inches between their eyes. “My father will not forgive an attempt to steal what is his. I might not be able to convince you to stop your foolish endeavour, but I will not let you take my son with you to your doom.” She whispered.

His jaw tightened. She almost let go at the silent threat not to continue her words. Almost.

“I tried to help you, Beloved. I made the choice for you. Saved your blood son from a future as a marionette of my father, for only a little prize. If you are certain you will choose differently, I will not let my son stay with you and pay the price.”

“You think I cannot protect my sons?”

“You are distracted, Beloved. My son deserves better protection than what you can offer.”

“My son deserves more than to think he’s an assassin, a soldier or an heir. Don’t worry, Talia, I’ll protect both of them. All of my children are safe with me.”

Talia stared back at those strong, foolish eyes. “You are weak, and raising your children to be the same. I have shown more patience than you deserve, but I will not risk my son to your principles.”

He was about to answer, as a voice turned out of her pocket.

“Call accepted. Connecting in -“, The pristine British voice resonated through the fabric, counting down the last three numbers. The tension in the air shifted drastically as they both stared at the phone she had fished out of her pocket. 

A single “beep” sounded after the cold voice reached zero. 

For a second, it was quiet, despite the timer on the display. Then – 

“Hey, Talia, I hope I’m not intruding anything. I’m at your place in Egypt right now, and might need a little navigating.”

Impossible. This was not – she looked at her Beloved, whose eyes were wide at the unexpected voice.

“I’m Tim, just in case you forgot my voice after handing me over to your psycho old man.”

“I must admit, I did not expect to hear from you this soon.” She had not expected to hear from him at all. Not until her father had –

Her Beloved pulled her mobile away. “Tim? Are you – Report, now.”

“B?” Surprise rang high in his voice. “What are – you know what, I really need a word with the lady first.”

“Report first. Are you injured? Are you somewhere safe?”

“B, I –“ He hesitated, but continued quickly. “I’m okay. Just give me a minute, alright?”

Her Beloved reached her phone back, albeit reluctantly.

She didn’t take it immediately. He pushed it into her hand. “Talia.”

“Are you running from a phone, Talia?” The boy sounded amused, and so satisfied. “I thought you would treat a guest differently.”

Talia swallowed before taking the phone and approaching it to her mouth, locking eyes with the intent ones of her Beloved. “I do not remember inviting you anywhere, nor do I recall the place in Egypt you mentioned.”

“Oh, you don’t? You know, the one above the cute little bookshop? And – let me check quickly-”, there were a couple dull noises that should possibly resemble footsteps but sounded more like boots against the leather couch that happened to be in that particular apartment. “Yeah, there is this white mosque across the street. Need any more details? Maybe talk to some neighbours?”

A muscle at Bruce’s mouth twitched. What a brat.

“No need, that will suffice. But –“

“And you seriously don’t remember inviting me? With all the talk from Ra’s, about my new home, and new family and work and what not? For a hot second I was scared he’d announce us brother and sister, really, and that would have been awkward. You even set up my transportation all around the world, remember?”

There was cheer in the stupid boy’s voice, but it was superficial enough to show the bared teeth beneath it.

“Well, then, how can I help you, my dear guest,” she asked sweetly before the brat spilled enough to anger her Beloved even more.

“As much as I appreciate your and Ra’s… hospitality,” he started, and judging from her Beloved’s sudden frown at the pause, Talia hadn’t imagined the flicker of something in the kid’s voice, although she wasn’t quite sure what it was, “I really don’t want to overstay my welcome. But I don’t know if I can leave a country I have officially not entered.”

Talia smiled. The kid had no means to travel. He would need believable papers, as a single mention of his name would not go unnoticed by her father, and of course, financial resources. 

“Oh, I’m sure my father would _insist_ you stay a little longer, Timothy. He’ll be devastated you asked me that. Speaking of, did you even say Goodbye?”

  
“Don’t worry about my manners, Talia. I’m sure he will understand after the deep conversations we shared.”

Talia rolled her eyes. She didn’t know how the kid had managed to get this far, but there was no way luck would favour him to this extent twice. He had to know that. “Do tell, Timothy, what do you plan after your little escape? Do you think you can avoid my father forever? I assumed you were smarter than that.”

Suddenly, a powerful arm pressed her throat against the wall. “You will give him what he needs,” Bruce growled. 

She grinned. “Would you rather wait for daddy dearest to pick you up, my wayward guest? It can be scary out there, on your own.”

“Talia,” Timothy spoke with raised care and weight in his voice, “I’m giving you a chance to cooperate, only because of my family’s ties with you.”

  
Talia listened to this foolish, stupid child continue like he had any sort of power or leverage against her, like he wasn’t a twig beneath her feet, like – Her Beloved apparently had not only raised his stray to weak, emotional imbeciles but had forgotten to teach them respect towards those who were stronger than them.

“I don’t want to explain to Damian why you are on my blacklist, but –“

The mention of Damian cut the last string of her patience. Who did he think he was talking to? She didn’t need her _son_ to be her shield from an insolent, inept child that was still foolish enough to think he had any chance against a powerful opponent. “Timothy, how did you sleep last night?”

The sharp silence after her words felt like a fresh balm on her scratched pride… She didn’t know the exact methods of her father had used on the boy, but if he thought he had already escaped his influence, he was even more ludicrous than she had thought. No matter how strong his mind was, he should be just short of losing it completely and begging her father for mercy. Hopefully Father would make him suffer and teach him respect soon enough.

“Tim?” Her Beloved’s eyes flickered to the phone before returning to her. More seconds passed, before little Timothy could gather his voice. As expected, Father’s methods were most efficient and productive. Not even the favoured son of the proud Bat could pretend to be unscathed. 

Just as Bruce opened his mouth to inquire a second time, Timothy started talking again.

“You asked for the hard way, Talia.” Suddenly his voice was colder, deeper, more even. For the first time, she didn’t hear the son of the Bat. She heard a Bat. “I really didn’t want to force you, but it seems like I need to introduce myself to you again. I'm Red Robin, and you shouldn't try my patience.

“I only need to show my undisguised face on this street once for Ra’s to find this place. I can do that without risking a capture, no problem. Maybe ask the merchant on the street for directions. Ra’s will trace it back in a couple hours. 

“The first thing I did was to use your phone, so he’ll know my time of arrival. He’ll know that I came here immediately, like I had picked the place myself. Or like you’d shown me.”

Talia felt a shiver down her spine. He wouldn’t –

“Before I got out from that lair, or whatever you call it, I found your room and the keys to my shackles. I didn’t need them, but Ra’s won’t think like that if I leave them here with a note of thanks.”  
  


Talia tried to swallow, but her mouth felt like a desert wind had brought the drought upon them. Father would never forgive a mistake like that. She would consider herself lucky if he would grant her a chance to explain herself.

“I also happen to know that you didn’t have Ra’s best interests in mind when you decided about Damian’s future, or convinced him to take me. Fortunately, I have proof of that, too - “

“How?” The words escaped her mouth without her consent, but with enough of her fury that she didn’t regret it.

“It’s called multitasking, Talia.” Despite his mocking words, he didn’t break out of the sharpness in his voice. “The first call from your phone was to a friend. They started digging you up as soon as I mentioned you, while I was treating my wounds with your equipment. You two were talking, and they listened and recorded.” 

With every word he spoke, Talia felt her energy drain. Bruce’s grip was getting closer to support her weak legs than being a threat. If Timothy even implied her disloyalty towards her father, it would end her. Father would not rest until she had proven herself. She’d had to do it once, after sending Damian away without his information, which had been enough for the rest of her life.

“You - you wouldn’t dare to play my father like that,” she hissed, “I’ll make you regret even considering - “

“Talia,” he interrupted her. “Your father, the demon head, chose me as his successor. I have brought B back from the dead. I have worked with you. You know what I am capable of. Listen to my voice, and listen closely. Do I sound like someone who wouldn’t _dare_?

She tried to take a quiet but deep breath to slow down her beating heart. She couldn’t – couldn’t think of an answer.

She realized that Bruce was smirking in front of her. That bastard seemed proud of his little stray.

“I thought so,” Timothy answered her silence. “Now, tell me where I can find your stash. And don’t bother about the Martin Whats-his-name-one, I know he’s wanted by Interpol.”

“There’s another house in Cairo –”

“Which one? Old town or the one next to a school?”

Those were - he knew all of her safehouses in town. “How?”

  
“Do you really think I’m not keeping tabs on you? That I didn’t consider the possibility of a trap when you called me? I chose to show you some trust, and I’m not embarrassed to admit it, because it won’t happen again. But you should really learn not to underestimate me. Now, talk.”

She took a shaky breath. “At the school. You’ll find a hole in the walls of the bedroom. That should be enough for at least part of your journey.”

“Awesome. Anything else I need to know about? I really don’t want to make use of my emergency plans.”

  
Bruce drew away completely, taking a step back, his posture relaxed. She didn’t feel enough strength to stand on her own legs, so she let the wall behind her support her weight, the phone still in her hand.

She closed her eyes. She had made a mistake. How could she have miscalculated Timothy Drake to this extent? Now he had the audacity to command her, and enough power to enforce it. She would be lucky if he didn’t use his leverage against her in the future. “Don’t use any electronic device there. It will alert my father’s system.”

“Good to know. I’d thank you, but it wasn’t really voluntary now, was it, Talia?”

“Do not test the boundaries of my indulgence, Timothy.”

He snorted but conceded. “Alright, alright. I gratefully accept your help, milady. I don’t want to waste any more of your precious time. If you would leave the phone to my partner, I would greatly appreciate it. I promise to send you a fair duplicate once I have the chance.”

Talia opened her eyes, only to be greeted by her Beloved’s intense blue eyes. They weren’t unsullied and focused like they had been minutes ago, the way she liked it. They were softer in relief, glowed in pride and brightened with amusement, all to her expense. She forced her phone into his hand. “You must be content with your achievements with the boy.”

“That’s not my achievement. It’s all him.”

She gave him one last look. She did not expect her next meeting with any of the Bats to be peaceful. 

For the first time she could understand her father’s interest in the boy. There was little she would not sacrifice to have an ally in Bruce Wayne. And Timothy had just proven to be just as sharp, keen and calculating as his mentor, if he hadn’t already exceeded him.

He had managed to escape from under her father’s nose and had bound her hands by blackmailing her. A desire to set him on fire burned already deep in her heart. This was not over yet.

She scoffed, turned around and walked away. Her Beloved didn’t start talking before that. Like that could prevent her from listening in to a conversation between her own two devices.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't sure about adding this chapter, so if you feel like the fic is complete without it, feel free to ignore it...

Only a couple minutes later, she had connected her mobile phone to the line.

“Are you sure –” Beloved was saying, with much more worry than he would have shown in her presence.

“Yeah. Just give me two days, and you can pick me up there.”  
  


“You know I’d like to see you back home as soon as possible.”  
  


A deep sigh filled the line. “I know, B. Believe me, I want to be back, too. But I can’t risk getting caught. I can’t go back there.”

Talia blinked. Mere minutes had passed, but Timothy sounded much more… tired than before.

“Tim, are you really alright?”

Timothy huffed. “Don’t worry, I’ll make it home in one piece.”

“What are you not telling me? Talia mentioned - ”

“It’s nothing! Alright? I’m fine. There’s nothing you can do from Gotham, anyway.”

“Tell me what it is, Tim.”

“B,” the boy pleaded, and finally he sounded like what Talia had believed he was, a mere child that still depended on his father. It wasn’t as fulfilling as she would have hoped.

“B, I don’t- Just-” The boy tried with a choked voice, but her Beloved insisted. “Tim.” 

She couldn’t understand how he could be so soft, so weak, how two men she considered powerful enough to be her enemies could turn into this - 

“Tim. Please tell me what’s going on. Maybe I can do something. Anything. Or, do you want to talk to Dick? Or Alfred? I just - I could be there this evening if you let me.”

“No, no, you can’t, B. It’s too risky. I have to get him off my tail, I can’t let him- I can’t go back there. I can’t.” He broke off with a pathetic sniff, like a toddler, like Damian hadn’t since he’d been _five_. 

“Then talk to me. I can’t wait for two days without knowing exactly what is bothering you.”

The line was silent until Timothy’s quiet voice picked up again. “He - I don’t know - He’s in my head, B. I can’t - Every time I try to relax, or just stop thinking, he’s in my head. I can hear his voice all the time, trying to - trying to convince me.”

Bruce was quiet at first, even carefully so. “Is it like a flashback? Like reliving when he talked to you while you were - you were with him?”

Voiceless words, whispers that a telephone could not pick up, then - “No. He - I think he did something. It’s new stuff. Mostly, at least. He’s trying to convince me to go back - I don’t think it’s really him, B, I think it’s my own brain, but I don’t know how he did it.” He was getting aggravated, a desperate edge in his voice cut his words into her mind. “I don’t understand! It’s like - Can you do something like this with hypnosis? Did he use magic? B, what if we can’t reverse it, what if - I can’t do this for much longer - his voice - ”

“Tim.” Bruce interrupted, and suddenly it was too much for Talia. There was too much of something in that word, that voice, that tone. She tore off the headphones, only barely restricting herself from throwing the device out of the taxi’s window.

She had lost to an infant. A mere child.

The driver caught her eyes accidentally, in the rear mirror, and quickly looked away. There was sweat running down behind his ear, his hands tight on the steering wheel. Had he said a single word, she would have cut his throat. Her rage was eating her up as the imbecile’s voice didn’t leave her head. Crying, threatening, soft, cutting. She heard him all over.

But that night, when she was laying between silk sheets in her unbothered hotel room, she didn’t remember Timothy on that phone call. 

  
Like the days before, she heard his last words after he’d realized he’d been trapped, just before she had left the room and her father had entered. Quiet, not fully awake yet and with unfitting naivety.

“Talia, please…”

**Author's Note:**

> This is not as heavily edited as I would have liked it, but I realized that if I try to make something perfect, I need ages to post it. So this is me trying to work against that perfectionism. (This work has developed mostly after midnight, so there might be tons of typos and weird sentences because I'm also ESL and language skills work differently in the night shift)


End file.
